A good film consists of a simple plot that the audience can follow easily but not simple enough in which the audience can predict what’s going to happen. Good characters are also essential to a success of a movie as the audience need to find characters that they can relate to and like. If the main character is not well developed or likeable then it will be hard for that movie to find success. The film also needs a good theme in which the message is clear and woven into the film, the audience need to come away from the film having learnt something. Finally a good film needs ending which will satisfy the audience as far too many movies have been ruined by a bad ending, the ending needs to wrap up and finish the movie and answer all the left over questions.
A movie which I consider to be good is About Time which was first shown in 2013 and was directed by Richard Curtis and is a romantic/fantasy film and follows Tim Lake who has discovered that all the men in his family have to ability to travel in time. He uses this ability to go back in time and win over the love of his life Mary. This movie is brilliant for a number of reasons, firstly the plot is simple yet still entertaining as we see Tom desperately try and end up with the woman of his dreams and the plot is really based around most humans desire which is to travel through time, not only does this movie portray that brilliantly but it also shows the consequences that time travel has which most humans don’t think about. The characters are extremely likeable and well developed and we even feel sorry for some of the characters such as Katherine who is in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend and who gets in a car crash on Tim’s daughters birthday.

There are many serious topics that About Time raises awareness for, such as the topic of suicide and depression and the death of family members, the movie manages to be lighthearted while still having serious moments and this is a great contrast as it keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. The many themes of About Time include love, death, second chances and most importantly family as everything Tim does is in the name of love and family. This movie really makes a person take stock and value what they have as this movies shows how easily it can all be taken away and it gives a clear message to the audience which is to live life to the fullest. The soundtrack really adds to the ambience and sets the mood and tone of what is happening in the particular scene for the audience. The soundtrack manages to be lighthearted with classic songs such as The Cures “Friday Im In Love” in which the mood is set to that of a happy, excited jump up and dance feeling, but the soundtrack can also have sad moments which can really move a person this is used brilliantly in the last scene between Tim and his dad when they are in the cupboard about to time travel one last time. In this scene you can even hear the heartbeats and the piano score in this scene sounds sad but also triumphant and reflects Tims life because at the end he has lost his dad but gained a family and wife and has achieved soo much and made his father proud.

Mise-en-Scène – the arrangement of the scenery, props, and actors on the set of a film.

‘What makes a film good?’

A variety of components are needed to make a film ‘good’ such as costumes, cinematography, themes, sound and so much more but how each component is used can vary depending on the genre, target audience and budget of a film. ‘The Platform’ is a good example of a film that uses all these elements in order to make an enjoyable, successful and overall ‘good’ film.

The costumes are kept quite simple and dull throughout the film – everyone within the establishment wearing a brown prison-like jumpsuit, with the exception of the chefs on level zero who are given white suits. The costume differences show how disconnected  both groups are from each other, the jumpsuits adding to the glum and dismal setting as the people within the established try to survive each month due to the greed of those on the higher levels whilst the white suits represents the obliviousness of the chefs whose focus lies on perfecting their food rather than questioning the system.

Greed is an important theme throughout the film that is often linked to class and capitalism in a metaphor of ‘Heaven vs Hell’ – the amount of power and influence each person has decreases depending on what level they’re on as they’re shunned by those above them. The lighting throughout the film is also used to subtly show this as the higher floors have yellow tones that lighten up the rooms, making them look safer than the lower blue-toned floors that darken the space which exaggerates the uninviting and unfriendliness of the level. All of this combined allows the viewer to immerse themselves within the film and ponder about the system’s flaws and whether they themselves would survive. 

The use of music also helps to immerse the viewer within the film’s universe; the quiet violin that’s heard in the background of most scenes helps to add tension to the dystopian-thriller without overdoing like a horror film would. The film’s main theme is used scarcely throughout the film and is the only piece we hear other than the softer violin. This gives the scenes an ominous feel and exaggerates the actions that are happening on screen especially as the theme itself sounds like a mixture of pots and the ticking of a clock which fits in well with the films plot whilst sounding both sinister and soft.

In conclusion, there are various elements that combine together in order to make a film ‘good’ but it’s how well they combine together that make a film enjoyable and memorable for the viewer. Does the lighting match the mood? Is the music too intense? Of course, no film is the same so the way each element is used can change, especially due to different film styles and genres, but if they don’t work well as one, then the watching the final product won’t be as pleasant.